Werewolves Within Becomes Available to Stream Free Five Years After Release

Josh Ruben is known for his work on the streaming service Dropout. He has spent the last few years performing improv on shows like Make Some Noise and Game Changer, building a reputation for celebrity impersonations and on-the-fly character creation.

Dropout is a side hustle for Ruben. He started with the team during its CollegeHumor days as a writer and director for dozens of short videos, including Female Armor Sucks. Following CollegeHumor’s near-closure in 2020, Ruben moved into directing horror films. His best-known horror movie is the Valentine-themed slasher Heart Eyes, which was released in 2025. Ruben is currently working on a sequel scheduled for release in 2028.

Ruben belongs to a comedy-to-horror crossover wave that also includes Jordan Peele, Zach Cregger, and David Gordon Green. Green transitioned from directing comedies like Pineapple Express and Our Brand is Crisis to the 2018 Halloween reboot and The Exorcist: Believer. Ruben often approaches horror as a filmmaker who wandered onto the wrong set, creating romantic comedies equipped with a body count.

Released in 2021, Werewolves Within is technically an adaptation of a 2016 social deduction VR game of the same name, but the two works share few similarities. The game is set in medieval Europe, while the film takes place in modern Vermont. Viewers do not need any familiarity with the game to enjoy the movie. Werewolves Within is currently streaming for free on several platforms, including Tubi.

The hairy-handed wonk who ran amok in Vermont

Finn Wheeler, played by Sam Richardson from Veep, is a U.S. Forest Service ranger who takes a transfer to the small town of Beaverton, Vermont. An avalanche blocks the main road out of town on the night of his arrival, coinciding with a suspicious power outage.

Finn investigates the following morning and discovers that every generator in town appears to have been clawed open. He also finds the corpse of the local motel co-owner. The wounds suggest a wolf attack, but wolves would not have hidden the body beneath the motel porch.

Beaverton residents were already divided over a proposal to run a gas pipeline through the town. Now, they are trapped indoors with a potential murderer who may not be human. As violence threatens to break out, Finn works to stop the townspeople from killing each other before an external threat gets to them.

Werewolves Within functions primarily as a comedy rather than a pure horror film. Every scene aims for laughs first and suspense second. While the approach succeeds comedically, it occasionally undermines genuine scares.

Beaverton features an eccentric cast of characters, including retired tech millionaires played by Cheyenne Jackson and Harvey Guillén, conspiracy theorist spouses played by Michaela Watkins and Michael Chernus, and a visiting zoologist played by Rebecca Henderson. Milana Vayntrub stands out as Cecily, the local mail carrier.

Ensemble horror movies often rely on disposable characters who exist solely to be murdered in the second and third acts. Werewolves Within takes a different approach, reflecting its origins in a social deduction game. Every resident of Beaverton serves as a suspect with distinct motives for murder. The killer or werewolf’s identity remains hidden until the bodies accumulate.

The film’s primary drawback is that it prioritizes humor over tension. The characters are eccentric to a fault, and Finn even undercuts suspenseful moments with jokes. Heart Eyes faces a similar balance issue, though it maintains a better equilibrium. Werewolves Within succeeds as a comedy, but it occasionally sacrifices thriller elements for a quick laugh.

The emphasis on comedy gives Werewolves Within the feel of a high-budget, R-rated episode of Scooby-Doo. Viewers who approach the film with that expectation will find an entertaining ride.

Werewolves Within is available to stream for free on Tubi, Sling TV, Philo, and PLEX.

Source: Polygon